To the New Year
by AshtreeBlasphemy
Summary: they tackle problems the new year brings one by one, starting with men. ino/saku friendship
1. 1

one: i still suck at writing  
two: but i was reading lots of ino/saku friendship pieces and my heart cried  
three: so a story about friendship and love was born.

* * *

"Rise and shine, Forehead! Your one true love has brought you a gift!" A groan was heard along with the shuffling of sheets.

Ino frowned.

"Are you hung over? I swear if you are, and you drank without me, I'll—"

"Please get over yourself, Pig. I was marathoning through Newsroom last night." Finally, Ino's favorite green-eyed monster had emerged from the depths of the hole she called her room to greet her.

"Well then, you should be grateful that I brought you a delicious grande iced caramel macchiato this beautiful morning!" Sakura raised an eyebrow.

"It's nearly noon," she replied to the blonde who had settled herself on the couch.

"And still very beautiful!" Ino exclaimed, handing her friend her beloved Starbucks beverage for the day.

"Don't worry. I didn't forget about the two shots of espresso," she mentioned as Sakura began to sip at the drink.

"Very much appreciated, Pig, but this means you want something."Ino grinned as Sakura sank into the cushions.

"Drive to Suna with me tonight." Another sip.

"Give me three good reasons why I should miss out on New Year's in Konoha to party with you at Suna." Ino sighed as she cuddled up to her friend's bony shoulder—God knows she should get more food into Sakura.

"One, you're miserable. Two, I'm miserable. Three, we can be miserable together at _the_ party country. Not to mention, we can drag Hina and Ten to—"

"You're gonna get us killed. I know it. Do you not remember what happened the last time?" Sakura felt chills as she remembered glow in the dark paint, a missing Hinata, and a heated make out with Gaara.

"Sakura, Sakura, Sakura, don't be silly! That was you loosening up and having fun."

"For the record, making out with your friend's brother is not having fun!" Sakura glared at the giggling girl now sprawled on her lap.

"But we both know you enjoyed it when Sasuke stole you away," Ino argued while examining her nails.

"That's an argument for another time, but why are you miserable, Piggy?" Sakura felt her friend stiffen in her lap.

"It's Shika," she muttered.

"I think he's finally letting go of us and moving onto Temari." Ino paused as she felt Sakura run her fingers through her hair.

"Not that I hate Temari. You know I love her to death, but to know he's finally moving on after who knows how long … it just hurts, you know?" She refused to cry; she had done enough of that the night before, and it took forever that morning to erase all traces of her tears. So, instead, she smiled.

"And since Temari is here to visit Shika, I thought why don't we just get out of here? Come on, Forehead. It'll be another great road trip to tell our grandkids!" Just as Ino hoped, the rosette gave in, but with one condition.

"I'm driving."

* * *

"10!"

Sakura had foreseen this exact situation hours ago.

"9!"

Ino would run off, leaving Sakura to fend for herself next to a couple, who was definitely having sex in the booth.

"8!"

"You wouldn't believe the line, Forehead! But I'm back, just in time for our annual New Year's shot!" True to her word, Ino had brought two shot glasses filled with something neither could recognize.

"7!"

"I forgot why I agreed to this." Sakura took the glass from her.

"6!"

"Because you want to have fun instead of moping around at home about Sasuke!" Ino exclaimed, wrapping her arm around Sakura's tiny, tiny waist.

"5!"

"Can't have a best friend of mine sit at home instead of being out here where the fun is!" Sakura's arm had taken place around Ino's waist.

"4!"

"So what are we wishing for this year, Pig? Boys? A new RA? A Michael Kors bag?" Ino shook her head.

"3!"

"For our sanity."

"2!"

"Excuse me?"

"1!"

"To 2015!"

"0!"

Both girls' heads shot back as they drank the foul liquor in their glasses, squirming once the after taste invaded their mouths.

"What exactly did you mean by our sanity, Pig?" Sakura asked while the crowd around them cheered to the New Year.

"I don't know. Maybe so you won't lose your cool over Sasuke, and I won't go MIA because of Shika," Ino shrugged.

"I told you there's no problem between Sasuke and me," Sakura retorted as Ino rolled her eyes at her stubborn friend.

"He emotionally fucked you over when he led you on for years to eventually date Karin." They both knew Ino had a valid point. Even if Sakura had declared the problem resolved after breaking Sasuke's nose with one of her textbooks months ago, they both knew she was far from over it.

"Yeah, but what can I do? Karin got to him before I did, so good for her." Sakura did like Karin. They would probably be the best of friends if it wasn't for the fact that she sort of stole Sakura's crush since middle school.

Ino groaned. "Fine, be an angel and hate no one. Just go find yourself a different man. Preferably, one who isn't emotionally stunted for life and will love you unconditionally."

Sakura smiled.

"Look at you, being all nice, Pig."

"Excuse you, I'm always this nice!"

* * *

happy new years

cherish your friends and love your family

cheers to 2015


	2. 2

four: i'm really lazy  
five: i'm cringing at that prologue  
six: i'm sort of cringing at this. why can't i write well

* * *

"What the fuck?"

Sakura had just returned to her apartment from Suna with Ino in tow, and she was exhausted. Not only did she have to drive for four hours straight, but she tolerated Suna's horrible radio stations and Ino's hungover banter.

Thus, it was within reason that Sakura franticly unlocked her door, excited to lie on her queen sized mattress. The sight of shoes littering the entrance to her home, however, shattered all anticipations for a nap. She only knew of one other person that she had, regretfully, given a copy of her key to.

"Hey, Sakura-chan! About time you got here!"

Naruto.

She threw her heels to the side—Ino screeched—and stumbled into her living room. She froze when she saw two others sprawled on her couch.

"Sorry to intrude, Sakura!" She offered a small smile to Karin who was comfortably leaning into Sasuke's side.

She readjusted her gaze to Naruto as he entered the living room with a bowl of popcorn in hand.

"Why." Sakura was not asking, but demanding an explanation. Whether Naruto was or was not aware of her negative feelings to _his_—she currently refused to deem him the title of friend— childhood friend was out of her hands. She had assumed, however, that this _friend_ was smart enough to leave her alone.

"It's New Year's, Sakura-chan! We didn't even see you last night!" Naruto whined as he flipped through the channels. "It gets a bit boring if you're stuck with your cousin sucking face with your bastard of a friend."

"Shut up, Naruto. That's what you get for following us around," Karin retorted.

Sakura clenched her fists and made her way to her room, slamming the door shut. Ino walked over to the kitchen to look for some Tylenol.

"Where were you two?" Naruto asked.

"Suna."

"Why?" Just as she was about to answer, Sakura had returned with a change of clothes for her.

"We're going out once you change, Pig."

Ino saluted. "Aye, aye, Forehead."

"Shouldn't you be resting?" Sasuke asked. His question went unanswered as Sakura snatched her remote out of Naruto's hand. She quickly turned off her TV, and pointed to the door.

"Get out."

Naruto pouted.

"But Sak—"

"Unless you start paying for rent, get out."

"We wanted to hang out with you!" Ino snorted.

"I'm busy."

"We haven't seen each other in so long though." Sakura sighed.

"We can hang later, but not now. Get out."

Naruto opened his mouth to argue once more, but his eyes met with Ino's death glare. Immediately, he stilled.

"Look, Naruto, babe, today is girl's night out, so Sakura is with me today. Go out and stuff yourself with ramen, ok?" Ino shifted her gaze to the couple on the couch. "And you two, go do couple things."

She didn't have much to say to Sasuke or Karin before she beat the living shit out of them.

"Yamanaka—"

"Do not fight me on this one, buddy boy, because I swear on my new Chelsea boots that I _will_ win. If you do not leave in the next two seconds, I am going to beat you purple for trying to stand against my Yamanaka wrath." His eyes narrowed, but he complied.

He shoved his hands in his pockets and left with Karin following. Naruto yelled after the couple about being his ride as he ran out the door.

"I so deserve a hug, Forehead."

"Just hold me, Pig." Sakura was lying on the floor, palms over her eyes. Tears were leaking from the corner of her eyes as her bottom lip trembled.

Ino complied, wrapping her arm around Sakura's shoulders.

"He thinks he can just bring her in here as if nothing happened?" she whispered.

"Remember that he's a fucking moron, hon. Even in my shitty hung over state, I can tell he's a bigger idiot than Naruto, and that's saying something."

"I'm never gonna get over this. It's been three months, Ino. Three fucking months, and I still can't stand seeing them together. When I saw her sitting there, I was close to dragging her out by her hair." Sakura had seen them together several times during the past three months. She even walked in on some of their dates at restaurants and the movie theater, muttering a soft 'hi' before she bolted. Each time, her left brow would furrow, a sign of a huge incoming wave of tears.

Ino shrugged.

"Hell, I could have done that for you." Sakura snorted.

"Not the point, Pig. You would think he got the message to back off when I threw a copy of _Gray's Anatomy_ at him, but it's like he's flaunting the fact he's in a relationship with her and not me."

"We could always get the Hyuuga guards on his ass. Hinata never took back that offer, ya know."

"Except she just left for Lightening this morning for some internship or something, so that's not going to work out any time soon," Sakura said, recalling the text she read earlier in the parking lot of her apartment complex.

"You make a good point, Forehead."

They finally sat up when Sakura stopped sniffling.

"We should totes watch Grey's Anatomy now," Ino suggested, wiggling her eyebrows. Sakura scoffed.

"I just told you we're going out."

"Ugh, but why?"

"Because Naruto came over. If he came over, he probably ate everything I had, including the few ramen cups I hid behind some fancy china." Sakura pointed over at the open cabinet doors near the kitchen entrance. She was used to the sight since Naruto came over often, generally with Sasuke or Sai.

Ino grimaced at the damage done to the kitchen.

"You should have him start paying for groceries," Ino said as Sakura retraced her steps to her room; she had yet to change out of her dress.

"I would if he wasn't always borrowing all of Sasuke's and my money. His parents cut him off cause of that accident he got a week ago." Naruto called her last Thursday morning during her morning yoga session to pick him up because he totaled his car. He had rear ended a middle aged woman while he was texting Kiba. The moron hit the woman so hard that the spare tire under her car flew out.

"That idiot," Sakura mumbled to no one as she pulled on her KU t-shirt. She knew he was bound to get an accident sometime. His driving was atrocious. She never understood how anyone would readily hand him a license.

After slipping on a pair of sweats, she walked into her living room where Ino waited for her.

"In return for the four hour long commute back home, I will cover the purchases of your beloved groceries because you know—I'm a nice person," Ino said while Sakura locked her front door. She knew better than to argue with her. She gratefully took the offer, promising to marathon Grey's Anatomy with her as soon as they got back to her apartment. Because that's what friends are for.

* * *

"God fucking damn it, I can never handle this." Sakura handed Ino one of the many tissue boxes they bought earlier in preparation for _this_.

They had marathoned through season five of Grey's Anatomy—a big regret on Ino's behalf.

"Why was it him? They always fuck him over and nothing ever good happens—oh god, who does this?" she wept as Sakura grabbed her own box of tissues, throwing the empty one in the general direction of her trash can.

"How do they expect us to catch up to season eleven, Forehead?" Ino knew that Sakura knew it was a rhetorical question. She asked it every time they finished a season finale which left the both of them bawling.

"I did not fucking need this right now. We are not watching the next season right now, Pig," Sakura hiccupped, rubbing her the corners of her eyes raw with another tissue.

"Why, why, why didn't they recognize him earlier? Aren't Meredith and Christina geniuses? Shouldn't they have done something sooner? Who gave Shondra Rhimes the right? I cannot deal right now," Ino rambled, scrambling to find her phone on Sakura's coffee table.

While Sakura cried into one of her pillows, Ino checked some of the messages she ignored during their marathon.

She found the text from Hinata that Sakura mentioned earlier. A quick "I'll be gone for a while at Kumo, but I'll send you pics!" and one or two pictures followed just as she promised. She took a picture with the famous Turtle Island in the background and the beautiful view from her hotel room—her father always reserved the best suite for her.

Ino called her a lucky whore, wishing her the best of luck with what she assumed to be an internship and advising her to get some Kumo boys' numbers.

The next messages were from Tenten, replying to her invitation to the Gray's Anatomy marathon. Apparently, she was stuck doing a project with Lee, sending a quick selfie with of them at the library. After, she threatened Ino to not spoil anything, very aware of the blonde's running mouth.

She sent a crying emoji only to avoid the temptation of spoiling anything to her friend.

Then, she skimmed over Kiba's sad attempts to ask her out—'no thanks, love' and Chouji's chats in the group message with Shikamaru—'I need birthday bbq. can we go?'—to which Shikamaru agreed to, meaning Ino, of course, had to as well. It was her favorite big-boned boy's birthday; she would not miss it for an excuse as petty as having to see Shikamaru.

She sighed as she responded, 'when and where.'

"Ugh, I would kill for some Korean barbecue." Ino finally noticed Sakura hovering over her shoulder as she read through the chats.

"I would ask you to go for me, but its Chouji's traditional birthday get-together with Shika and me." She put her phone back down on the table.

"I envy the fact that Chouji invites you to eat quality food, not ramen." If she remembered correctly, Sakura is dragged out to ramen with her boys once every day. But, recently, she's been letting Karin go in her place, busying herself with paperwork.

"Yeah, he tried that shit with me once, and it didn't end well."

Sakura snorted. "Naruto whines like a little bitch if he doesn't have ramen with us."

"Chouji should totally appreciate me and my devoted love to our friendship. If I didn't love that guy so much, I'd be fleeing the country," Ino threw her head back, leaning into the couch's cushions.

"You're already breaking your New Year's resolution, Pig."

"Oh, shut up. You don't even believe in shit like that."

Sakura giggled.

"But you do, so suck it up because Shikamaru is way better than Sasuke."

"Again, point taken." Ino picked up her phone to check for any more messages. She picked up to read her group chat only to jump to her feet.

"Sakura, oh god, Sakura, we have a problem on our hands," Ino panicked, shoving the phone into the other's face.

It took her a few minutes to realize why the blonde was hyperventilating. She was up on her feet in seconds.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck," Sakura cursed under her breathe.

Apparently, Chouji's girlfriend, Karui, pestered Chouji into letting her go with him—even though birthday barbeques were an Ino-Shika-Cho exclusive. Since Karui was going, Chouji asked Shikamaru if he would like to bring Temari to which he, once again, agreed.

'wby ino?' Her thumbs hovered over the keyboard for a few minutes before she put her phone back down.

"Sakura, what am I supposed to do?" she asked as she ran her fingers through her bangs, a nervous habit of hers.

"When is his birthday again?"

"In two days."

"Okay, okay, uhm, well, you're a catch, Pig. You can find a date in two days," Sakura reasoned.

"Sakura fucking Haruno, I cannot walk into that dinner with a random guy I found off the streets. This is a birthday dinner, and that means I'm not allowed to be trashy, okay."

"This should not be allowed to happen after a Grey's Anatomy marathon."

"I completely agree. Oh god, what am I going to do, Forehead?"

"Take Kiba."

Ino glared. "You suggest I take mutt boy when Chouji and Shika both know I am not even close to being serious with him?" Sakura raised her hands in defeat.

"It was an impulsive answer."

"Would Hinata let me borrow Naruto for one night? That could work right? Let's be real: Naruto and I would have been best friends if you didn't exist."

"Do you think you could tolerate Naruto for a few hours if you're _not_ feeding him ramen?"

"Can you please be wrong for once, Forehead?" Ino whined as she buried her face in her hands.

Promptly, Sakura reached for Ino's phone on the table, nimble fingers unlocking and typing a response that would fit her friend's standards.

"Forehead, what the h—"

"I saved your pretty little ass. Don't worry about it." Sakura had a triumphant grin plastered on her face as she showed the response she sent.

'i'm bringing sai ;)'

* * *

grey's anatomy is a part of my soul. currently rewatching season five finale cause it ruined me

thanks for reading/dealing with my very shitty grammar


End file.
